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(No Model.) 4 sheetssheet 1. C. ASPIRO.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. No. 335,392. Patentedl Feb. v2, 1886.

.D21/enfer d M (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. SPIRO.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

N. PETERS Phowumagnphnr. Wunnmun. nc.

' (No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 3.

, C. SPIRO.

TYPE WRITING MAGHINE. No. 335,392. Patented Feb. 2, 1886.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

C. SPIRI).

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 335,392. Patented Feb. 2, 1886.

N4 PETERS Phutuvmhngnphnr. Washington, D4 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES SPIRO, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,392, dated February 2, 1886.

Application tiled September 26, 1884. Serial No.144,014. (No model.) Patented in England November 8, 1884, Nul-1,768; in France November 8, 18e-l, No. 165,263, and in Germany November 9, 1884, No. 32,58%).

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs SrrRo. of the city of New York, county and State 'of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Vrite1s, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to that class of typewriters which employ a rotary type-wheel mounted on a depressible lever a-rranged over a sliding paper-carriage, and provided with a central axial handle adapted to be twirled in the lingers to bring the desired letter into the printing position, after which the handle and wheel are depressed to print the letter. A type-writer of this class is shown in my former application, led April l, 1884, No. 126,354, and my present invention is an improvement upon the several features thereof. In this form of type-writer the sliding paper-carriage is provided with a longitudinal ratchet-rack, which is engaged by a feed-paw] worked by the depression of the typewheel, and means are provided whereby the feed-space is varied in proportion to the varying width of the letter to be printed.

Part of my present improvement relates to the variable feed mechanism and to the construction ot' the typewheel with reference thereto.

Other features of my improvement lie in an improved inking device, in index devices to indicate the movement ot' the type-wheel and the printing position of the types, in the special construction of the papercarriage, and in other details hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings annexed, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal front elevation of my improved type-writer, and Fig. 2 represents a plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal rear elevation with the type-wheel in its raised or quiescent position, while Fig. 4 is a similar view with the wheel depressed in the printing position. Fig. 5 is afront end elevation, and Fig. 6 "is a' similar view with the type-wheel and its twirling-handle removed. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary rear elevation showing the feed and spacing mechanism. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail of the typewheel and its attachments.

In the original drawings filed with this application my machine is represented of full size, and referring rst to Figs. 1 and 2, a indicates the base of the machine, which is made in the form of an oblong casting formed with short feet a. on the bottom, on which the machine rests.

On the top ofthe baseis formed alongitudiual dovetailed way, c, which extends the entire length of the base, as shown in Fig. 2, and in which is fitted the frame d of the paper-carriage (Z cf, which is capable of sliding freely in the way lengthwise of the machine, as will be readily understood from the drawings.

In bearings d', at each end of the carriageframe d, is mounted the paper-roller e, and the bearings are connected together by a ratchet bar or rack, f, which entends 1ongitu-' dinally parallel with the surface ot' the roller 4f, and close to the top ofthe same on one side ofthe carriage, as fully shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. The rear end of the paper-roller c `is fitted with a small smooth pintle or journal, g', which is received in a hole in the rear bearing, d', of the carriage-frame, while the front end of the roller is provided with a threaded shank, g. as shown in Fig. 4, which is a loose tit for a large bearing socket or hole, b, in the front bearing, d', of the carriage, as fully shown in Figs. l and 6, which bearing is slotted at the top, as seen in Fig. 6, to allow the threaded shank f/ to be lifted up, and thus permit the removal of the roller from the carriage, as will be readily understood. The operati ng-knob h of the roller e, however, has a round shank, h, which nicely fits the bearing-socket b and screws onto the threaded shank g, as shown in Fig. I and in dotted lines in Fig. 5. Hence when the roller is placed in its bearings and the operating-knob h screwed in place, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the roller is held against displacement, yet is free to revolve, whereas when the knob is unscrewed, as shown in Fig. 6, the roller can be lifted out or replaced, as will be readily comprehended. Two thin broad springs, t' t', are fixed at one end to the base of the carriage, and pass under and partly around the roller on one side, pressing lightly against the roller, as fully shown in Figs. l, 2, 5, and 6. The paper sheet x, as shown in Fig. 5, on which the printing is to be done, is passed in under the roller, between the surface of the same and the springs i, and is thus curved around the roller under the springs and'over the top of the IOO roller and out under the rack-barf, and finally passes under a little pressure or guide roller, j, which is mounted in a spring-bearing, 7c, fixed to and depending from the outer side of the bar, as shown best in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6. The roller j has a deeply-concaved periphery, so that only its narrow flanged ends bear upon the paper, and this insures a better guiding action, while the spring k keeps the roller constantly pressed against the paper to hold it evenly and firmly on the paper-roller e. By turning the knob h the paper-roller will be turned to advance or feed the paper for thesuccessivelines to be printed, aswill bereadily understood, and in order to provide a regular space for this line-feed, the kn ob is formed with a notched rim, 3, which is engaged by a clickspring, 4, as best shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6; hence when the knob is turned to adjust the paper to the desired line the click 4 will fall into one of the notches, and thus hold the roller and its superposed paper in that position, and when it is desired to advance the paper for the next line the knob is turned one notch farther, when the click will spring out of the last notch and spring into the next, and thus-allow the roller to be revolved in the desired successive steps, and yet always hold it at each step. The threads on the shank h of the knob h are such as cause the knob to tighten in the direction in which it is revolved to feed the paper, and hence the knob has no tendency to unscrew in the direction in which the roller is turned to feed the paper.

The paper-carriage and its adjuncts having been now set forth, we will refer to the typewheel and its adjuncts, which are mounted above the carriage on the top of the fixed frame or standard Z, which arises from one side of the base and overhangs the paper-carriage, as shown well in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6. 'I he side of the frame Z is lightened by a lower open `scroll-work panel, Z', and by an upper openpanel, Z2, through which the printing on the paper-roller can be easily read. `The typewheel m is placed, as shown, centrally over the paper-carriage and revolves in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal movement of the carriage. This type-wheel is mounted on the end of a depressible rod or lever, n, which is pivoted at the fulcrum end to a lug, 5, on the top of the frame Z, and the opposite end of the lever near the type-wheel is guided ver-v tically between a forked guide, o, which rises from the narrow nose or beak 6 of the frame, which closely overhangs the paper-carriage and projects up close to the type-wheel. A spring, 7, between the top of the frame Z and the depressible lever n, tends constantly to raise up the lever and keep `the type-wheel elevated above the paper, as shown best in Figs. 1, 3, and 5, the up motion of the lever being limitedby the stop-pin 8 on the forkedY guide o, while the down motion is limited by the adjustable stop-screw zi rlhe type-wheel m is free to revolve on the end of the lever n, and is provided with a central twirling-handle, m', which may be revolved or twirled between the fingers to bring any desired type to the under side of the wheel to the printing position, after which the handle is depressed to force the wheel down on the paper on the paper-roller to impress the desired type thereon, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 6.

The type-wheel is formed of a disk of hard metal having slots cut in its periphery, in which are inserted the types m2, which usually include the alphabetic letters, with the numerals and points of punctuation, and this type-wheel is fixed at the. back to a toothed locking-wheel, p, which revolves with the type-wheel on the end of the lever n, (see Fig.

8,) and its periphery is provided with teethA corresponding in number to the types on the type-wheel.

On the front of the beak 6 of the frame Z a tooth, q, projects forward in the path through which the locking-wheelp moves when the lever is'depressed, which tooth will therefore fit between two of the teeth in the lockingwheel when the type-wheel is depressed, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 6, thus locking the wheels against rotation when the selected type is being printed, and thereby insuring a good impression of the desired letter.

Behind the hub of the locking-wheel 1J aV pendulous arm, r, is hung on the lever mso as to swing freely thereon, which arm normally hangs down straight, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 5, and on the tip of this arm, just below the periphery of the type-wheel, is mounted an inking disk or roller, s, disposed preferably in a horizontal plane and contacting near its periphery with the typed rim of the typewheel, as fully shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 5. This inking-roller is preferably made of a thin metal disk, having a central hub which turns freely on the end of the pendulous arm r, and faced on the top with a disk of felt, which is saturated with the ink and contacts with the rim of the type-wheel, as illust-rated. The pendulous arm rhas a short forked crank-arm, r, projecting at right angles from its pivoted end and engaging a fixed pin, r2, on the forked guide o, as shown in Fig. 1 and in dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 6. It will now be seen, by referring to Figs. 1, 3, and 5, that the pendulous arm and its inking-rollers normallygravitate to and assume avertical position with the inking-roller, contacting-with the type-wheel at its printing-point on the under side, and just over the paper carriage. It will therefore be seen that when the type-wheel is revolved back or forth to bring the desired type to its printing position the ink-roller will be revolved over the successive types, and the surfacesthereof will become nicely inked preparatory tothe impression. As soon, however, as the desired type is brought to the printing position, and the wheel then depressed to print the same, the depressing motion of the wheel will cause @the pendulous arm and its ink-roller to be swung to one side, revolving slightly around the axis of the type-wheel,

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as shown in Fig. 6, thus removing the inkingroller out of the way from the printing position ot' the wheel above the paper-carriage, and thus permitting the selected type to descend upon the carriage, as fully shown in Fig. 6. As soon as the wheel is allowed to rise after the impression the inkng arm and roller are again swung back to the vertical position, as shown in Fig. 5. It will be therefore seen that the advantages of this inking device are that it is simple and effective and is very neat and compact in its construction, and .while the inking-roller is kept normally in contact with the printing-point of the wheel, it is automatically swung out of the way when the desired type is printed, yet is kept in continual contact with the rim of the wheel, and a uniform and thorougl'i inking ot' the types is thereby secured.

The manner in which the type-wheel and its adjuncts are mounted on the end ofthe depressible lever n is fully shown in Fig. S. The end of the lever n is reduced to forni a tenon or journal, n', and the inking-arin fr is first set on thisjournal up against the shoulder at the root thereol'. A collar or washer, 10, is next slipped on thejourual against the arm n, and the lockingwheel p is then slipped on the journal, up against the washer. This locking-wheel is formed with a long sleeve or hub, p', which extends over thejournal to the end thereot' and is tree to turn thereon, and iu the end of the journal is screwed asmall headed stud, p2, which holds all the said parts iu position, as will be readily understood. The type-wheel m is next slipped over the hub of the lockingwheel p, and fitted up close to the lockingwheel, a pin, 2), on the locking-wheel engaging with a hole in the type-wheel, as shown in Figs. 8, 6, and 5, so as to engage the two together. type-wheel, which is preferably made ol' hard rubber, is finally screwed over the sleeve of the locking-wheel, close up against the typewheel, and the parts are thus held in position and made ready for operation.

The twirlinghandle m ot' the i Referring to Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, and (i, f indi- 3 cates a toot-hed index-wheel which gears with the locking-wheel p in a plane at about right angles thereto. on a central pin in a frame or bracket, 12, having a hub, 13, at the base, which is fastened on the depressible lever a., by aclamping screw or other fastening, just back ot' the forked guide o, as well shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4.

point to the corresponding character ou the dial, as will be readily understood; hence by this means the operator is enabled to rapidly twirl the type-wheel to or fro to bring the desired letter to the printing position, and the index-linger will clearly show the position in which' it may be found, and the position at which the wheel is to be depressed to print the desired letter, thus enabling the operator to perform quick and accurate work after a short experience.

The bracket l2 may be adjusted 'around on the lever n, so as to present the face of the dial at ditl'erent inclinations to the operator, and thus enable him to adjust the dial to the best and most convenient reading angle, according to individual desires, as will be readily appreciated. A light click-spring, 16, is fixed to the bracket l2 beneath the indexwheel t, and the pointed tip of thespringlalls between the teeth ot' the index-wheel as the same is revolved, and will thus serve to readily indicate when the wheels are turned tothe desired letter, and will prevent the inadvermVVV ent turning ot' the wheels after the letter is selected and during the pressing motion to print the letter, as will be readily understood.

The Vfeed mechanism whereby the papercarriage is advanced one step al'ter each letter is printed, and these steps varied in length according to the width of the letter to be printed, will be now described.

Referring trst to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the types are arranged on the periphery ofthe type-wheel, with the left-hand side or edge ol" all the characters in line with each other, the i'eed motion ofthe carriage being also tothe lel't, as indicated in Fig. 1. Now, on the periphery of the typewheel, as best shown in Fig. 5, a recess, 17, is formed between cach type, and each recess represents a particular character, and varies in depth according to the vary ing width ol' the characters, the widest letters-such as Maud having the deepest recesses, as indicated by the two deep and somewhat oblique recesses shown in Fig. 5, while the narrowest characters, such as l, are represented by the shal- This wheel is mounted to turn lowest recesses, as will be readily understood.

Rclerring now to the rear side ot' the ma` chine shown in Figs. 3 and 4, u indicates au elbow-lever pivoted ou the front end of the frame l, with its long arm projecting horizontally behind the lever n, and terminated with On the bracket 12 is fixed adial or index plate, 14, which covers the index-wheel t, and

around the periphery of the dial are marked the different characteis which the type-wheel carries, while an index-finger, 15, attached to the axis ot' the index-wheel,projects over the surface ofthe dial, as well illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 6. rl`he parts described are of course s0 arranged that when any particular type on the type-wheel is at the printing-point at the vbottom of the wheel the index-finger 15 will arm of the elbowlever u is normally raised by a spring, 18, so as to keep the tooth u2 in contact with the rack f and press the lever against a pin, 19, which projects from the lever n and bears upon the elbow-lever u, as fully shown IOO IIO

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that on the lower arm ofthe elbow-lever u a.

pawl-lever, c, is pivoted, having one arm reduced to a pawl-point to engage the teeth of the carriage-rack f, while the opposite arm or tail77 of thepawl projects horizontally above the rack toward the rim of the typewheel and in line with one or other of the recesses therein, (see Figs. 5. 2, and 3,) the end of the tail being tapered to a narrow wedging-point, so as to readily enter said recesses, as fully shown in Fig. 3. The spring c of the pawl o tends constantly to keep the point of the pawl in engagement with the rack j" and to press the long tapering tail of the pawl against a stoppin, w', which projects from one arm of asecondary elbow -lever, w, pivoted behind the lever u, and having its upper arm forked to engage the pin 19 on the main lever n. It may now be seen by referring to Fig. 4 that when the lever a and its type-wheel is depressed to print the desired letter the pin 19 will sway the elbow-lever u in the position shown, and thus move the pawl c back over the teeth of the rack and bring the tapering tail of the pawl into one ofthe recesses on the type-wheel, the parts being so arranged that the recess which the tail of the pawl will enter will correspond to the letter being printed, as will be readily understood. It will now be understood, referring to Figs. 3 and 4, that duringthedepressing motion ofthe typewheel and the back movement of the pawl on the rack f, as just described, the point ofthe pawl will remain v pressed against the inclines of the rack-teeth,

and will slip back over the same until the tail of the pawl has made Contact With the bottom of the recess in the typewvheel, when the point of the pawl will then be lifted out of the teeth and will move the remainder of the stroke idly above the rack, as shown in Fig. 4. Now, it will be obvious that the deeper the recess in the wheel is the later will the pawl be lifted out of the rack and the greater the number of teeth over which it will slip, and

vice versa. It will be also readily understood that as soon as the type-wheel is allowed to rise after making the impression the pawl will move back and will fall into the tooth out of which it was previously raised, and, the backmotion' of the pawl being now continued while engaged with the rack, it will now impart a feed motion to the carriage equal to the number of teeth over which the pawl slipped during the previous motion toward the type-wheel. Hencethe depth of the recesses in the type-wheel determines the number of teeth over which the pawl will idly slip at the forward motion, and therefore the amount of feed'motion which will be imparted to the paper-carriage at the back or feeding movement of the pawl, so that by this means the carriage will always be fed onward a step equal to the width of the letterlast printed. Thus if the widest letter is equal to four teeth on the rack f and the narrowest is equal to one tooth, then the feed motions of the pawl c will vary from one to four teeth, Yin accordance with the varying depth of the recesses in the type-wheel representing the letters, thus producing a perfect and efficient feed motion, which regulates the feed of the paper automatically, according to the width of the characters printed, which is a very desirable feature, as it saves space on the sheet and greatly improves the appearance of the printing andrenders it much more readable.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that when the type-wheel and feed devices rise or return to their normal positions, as illustrated in this figure, the fixed tooth u2 on lthe pawllever will engage the rack f in one direction against forward motion,` while the pawl c will engage it inA the other direction against back motion, thus locking the carriage in the position into which it was last fed, and thereby preventing the momentum of the forward feed impulse from moving the carriage too far,and also preventing any displacement during the movements to selection of the next character for printing. Now, in order to feed the carriage forward to provide spaces between words or sentences, the knob u may be depressed, in which casefby referring to Fig. 7, it will be seen that the pawl-lever u will be swayed independently of the main or typewheel lever n, and also independently of the stop-lever w, which levers a w will remain at rest, as shown. Hence the tooth a2 will not only be raised out of the rack f, but the pawl v will also be slipped back its full distancesay of four teeth-at which fourth tooth the tail of the pawl will be forced against the stoppin w in the now stationary stop-lever w, and thus be lifted out of the rack, as shown in Fig. 7. Vhen, therefore, the knob 'Lt' is again released, the described parts will'return to their normal positions,and the point of the pawl c, in entering the tooth which it previously left, and in pressing forward against the same,will thus move the carriage forward the space of four teeth, and thus provide the necessary feed-space between letters or words. By depressing the knob a2 two or more times this space will of course be correspondingly increased as may be desired.

It will be noted from what has been already l described and shown in Fig. 7 that the function of the lever w and its pin w comes into action only when the knob is depressed for the spacing-feed, the lever and pin then affording a fixed stop to cause the pawl 'u to be lifted out of the rack f, as described. At all other times when the type-wheel and lever n are moved up and down and the regular automatic feed movements produced the stop-lelever w and pin iu move with the lever u and pawl o, and hence cannot affect the pawl o, and, in fact, perform no funetion,as the engaging and disengaging movements of the paWl are in this case determined entirely by the recesses in the type-wheel, and not by the pin ic', as will be readily comprehended. It may be further noted that when the knob a is fully depressed, as shown in Fig. 7, the feed-rack will be entirely freed from the feeding devices fui" and o, and hence the carriage may be slid entirely out of the base, or shifted forward or backward to any desired position, so that a line may be commenced on any part of the sheet desired. By referring again to Fig. 7, it may be observed that when the knob a is fully depressed to produce the spacing-feed shown the tail of the pawl fu will not enter any of the recesses in the type-wlieel at all; nor will it closely approach the rim of the wheel, for the reason that as the type-wheel is not itself depressed the vertical movement of the tail of the pawl will not be sufficient to bring it close to the rim of the type-wheel, as will be readily comprehended from Figs. 5 and 7. Now, in order that the carriage may be slid back at the end of each line to the same position at which the line was commenced, so as to preserve a uniform margin in the printing, the front edge ofthe base is graduated with a series of numbers, as shown best in Fig. 2, and an index point or finger, y, projects from the middle of the carriage out over the gradated edge of the base, said nger being/shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and full lines in Fig. 1. Hence by starting the carriage with the index-finger at one of the numbers, according to the width of the margin desired, and always bringing the carriage back to the same numberin comniencing the next line, a uniform margin will be preserved. A series of holes are preferably bored iii the edge ofthe base adjoining the graduated numbers, as shown, in any one of which may be tted a stop-pin, 3 3, the distance of the pin from the first hole determining the width of margin, as will be readily understood, and it will be seen that when the carriage is slid back to commence the next line the finger i/ will strike against the pin, and thus determine automatically the point at which to commence each line, which will be a great convenience to the operator.

l do not claim in this application the springs i fi, arranged as shown, but reserve my right to claim the saine in my subsequent applieation, No. 159,514, filed March 20, 1885.

Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a type writing or printing machine, the combination of a rotary and depressible type-wheel having types around its periphery and recesses of varying depth between the types, and with a sliding feed-carriage provided with a ratchetrack, and a feed-pawl reciprocated thereon to and from the type-wheel by the rise and fall of the type-wheel, the tail of said pawl being adapted to enter the recesses in the type-wheel at each reciprocation, substantially as set forth, whereby the active feed motions of the pawl are made to vary in accordance with the width ot' the letter printed, and in correspondence with the depth ofthe recess representing the same, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination, with the sliding earriage and its rack j', and the depressible bar a and its rotary type-wheel m, of the feedlever a and pawl v, and the stop-lever w and its stop lw, with the pin 19, engaging the levers u w with the bar n., substantially as shown and described.

lu a type writing or printing machine, the combination, with the type-wheel, of an inking-disk revolving against the periphery of the type-wheel in a plane at right angles thereto, and pivoted ona pendulous arm pivoted at or near the axis of the wheel, substan` tially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with a rotary and depressible type-wheel, of an inking-disk revolving against the periphery thereof and hung on a gravitating pendulous arm, with a connection between the axis of the wheel, the pendulous arm, and the fixed frame, whereby the pendulous arm and its disk are swung partly around the type-wheel and back again at each depression of the wheel, substantially as herein set forth.

5. The combination, with a rotary and depressible type-wheel, of the iiiking-disk s, re volviiig against the periphery thereof in a plane at right angles thereto with the pendulous arm lr, on which said disk is mounted, pivoted near the axis of the type-wheel, and having a slotted radial arm, i", engaged with a point, r2, on the fixed frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

(i. The combination, with the depressible lever u, formed with the journal a', of the toothed locking-wheel p, having the bearingsleeve p', fitted on saidjournahwith the type wheel m, slipped over said sleeve and engaged with the locking-wheel, and the twirling-handle m', fastened over said sleeve up against the type-wheel.

7. The combination, with the frame of the paper-carriage and the roller e, of the pintles g y, the bearings d d', the enlarged and slotted bearingsocket b, and the operating-knob h, having a shank to enter said socket b and screw upon the pintle g, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

y CHARLES SPIRO.

Vitnesses:

JNO. E. GAVIN, Giras. M. HreGiNs.

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